Category: College Hockey Player

03Aug

Jay Dickman (23)

Posted in College Hockey Player, Europe, Juniors, Minor League Deal | 1 Comment

The tower of a skater 6’6″ 231 lbs., undrafted center Jay Dickman(23) takes a pair of good seasons for Wichita Thunder and signs with HC Nove Zamky of Slovakia.

In 2020/2021, he scored an ECHL best 20 goals and 38 assists.

He did 5 years at Bemidji State University Beavers with his best totals as a junior, scoring 15 goals and 8 assists.

The St. Paul, MN native spent 2 years with Austin Bruins, running up point-per-game totals in 114 NAHL games before committing to school.

At 29-years old, he is heading out on a new hockey adventure and should do well.

He actually returned after a short 2 games away and powered in a new best 26 goals and 61 points in 67 games to want to keep him around in Kansas for continued views.

In his 4th overall frame with the team, he posts career bests 29 goals, 40 assists and 69 points to keep on keeping on in Wichita.

03Aug

Mitchell Balmas (92)

Posted in College Hockey Player, D3, Juniors | Leave a comment

3rd year left wing Mitchell Balmas(92) will return to Sheffield Steelers for a 2nd season, after scoring 23 goals and 43 assists in 54 games with a +23 rating.

The 5’11” 168 lbs. forward has definitely been able to find the net throughout his playing time, which started with 4 campaigns of QMJHL before deciding to head to St. Mary’s University Huskies for 3 frames.

He played most of his 3rd year at college, but left to sign with Springfield Thunderbirds.

For his rookie season, he signed with Iowa Wild and played mostly for them before heading overseas next.

From Sydney, NS, the 26-year old will definitely continue to do well in the EIHL.

02Aug

Casey Fitzgerald (4)

Posted in College Hockey Player, Free Agent Signing, Juniors, NHL Draft Pick | Leave a comment

Buffalo Sabres‘ 3rd round pick in the 2016 draft (#86 overall), defenseman Casey Fitzgerald(4) scores a 1st NHL recall and skates a full slate of 27 shifts for 16:42 of ice time and was busy with 2 shots, 5 hits, 2 takeaways, an assist and 5 minutes for fighting, but leaves an overtime loss with a +1 rating.

The 5’11” 181 lbs., former two-time Boston College Eagles‘ captain was never exactly the biggest scorer at school, but did pocket 17 goals and 65 assists in 151 NCAA Division 1 games with a very accountable +26 rating.

He may not reach almost 1100 games in the big league like his New Jersey Devils’ General Manager dad, Tom Fitzgerald, but he still should be able to knock out a formidable career.

After 23 games with 3 assists and a -1 rating, he gets put on waivers to be reassigned, but Florida Panthers swoop in, seeing something in his game they want and claim his rights.

We can only watch to see how he fits into their lineup.

He only plays 4 games with the Cats, then 2 in the playoffs, but not good for any points.

They see something they can potentially use to move forward and sign him to a 1-year, 2-way deal in 2023/2024.

Reassigned for the entire frame to the affiliate, Charlotte Checkers, he does decently and is a very accountable +22 rating to pull down a new 2-year, 1-way in the 2nd contract with New York Rangers that may get him some playing time, but mostly he will be pivotal with Hartford Wolf Pack.

02Aug

Jordan Kaplan (47)

Posted in College Hockey Player, Europe, Juniors, Minor League Deal, Transfers | Leave a comment

3rd year right wing Jordan Kaplan(47) recently signed with Newfoundland Growlers after a somewhat inactive year in 2021/2022.

The 5’10” 170 lbs. forward already has a helper in a couple of appearances with his new club.

After graduating from University Of Vermont Catamounts, which followed up 3 years at Sacred Heart University Pioneers, he signed as a rookie with Adirondack Thunder, scoring 11 goals and 21 assists in 65 ECHL games, but also had a somewhat disastrous -32 rating.

From Bridgewater, NJ, we think the 25-year old will fit in nicely with his new club.

After 6 games with his new team, he gets released and claimed by Worcester Railers, but only lasts a couple of appearances before he’s on the move again, this time heading overseas to join Saale Bulls Halle for the remainder of 2023.

Germany3 hockey should come pretty easy for him to score big for his new club.

He does almost exactly as we saw would happen, scoring 4 goals and 6 assists in 11 games during the regular frame, then adding another 7 goals and 11 assists in 13 playoff matchups.

For 2023/2024, he will start his 3rd season in the league he’s mostly known with a 6th club, Indy Fuel and we think will find ways to put in points.

He actually played no games with who he initially signed and ended up bouncing around for a few games here and there, but lacking anything close to what he had as a rookie.

Playing maybe a bit of the waiting game, he decides to sign with Savannah Ghost Pirates to help make an impact with the new team and scores 1 in his 2nd game.

A couple months prior to 2024/2025, he finds himself traded after 14 goals and 14 assists in 51 games on a non-playoff team.

He returns to Worcester Railers, where he played 2 games and feel he will easily fit back into team mentality.

02Aug

Joe Snively (91)

Posted in College Hockey Player, Free Agent Signing, Juniors | Leave a comment

Washington Capitals‘ 3rd year undrafted center Joe Snively(91) gets a 1st recall after lighting it up big for affiliate Hershey Bears with 8 goals and a career high 14 assists for 22 points with a +13 rating in 21 AHL games.

Through 4 years at Yale University Bulldogs, he was a more than point-per-game player, scoring 58 goals and 81 assists in 129 NCAA Division 1 games with a +18.

He was similarly good in 2 years of junior hockey for Sioux City Musketeers, getting 132 points in 164 USHL games.

In his NHL debut, he skated 11 shifts for 6:53 ice time with an assist, 2 shots on net, 1 hit and left a 3-2 loss with a +1.

The 25-year old Virginia native will be a 2nd time restricted free agent at the end of the current frame and should be a early shoe in for a couple campaign contract extension.

He must have also had a lot of family and friends in the stands for his first game.

For 2024/2025, coming off a 2-year extension that paid him basically 1-way money and winning a 2nd straight Calder Cup Championship with his team of 3 seasons, he decides to look elsewhere and agrees to a 1-year, 2-way deal with Detroit Red Wings that we are sure he hopes means more playing time up.

02Aug

Will Skahan (27)

Posted in College Hockey Player, Juniors, NHL Draft Pick | Leave a comment

Boston College Eagles 2024/2025 commit, 2nd year USNTDP defenseman Will Skahan(27) doesn’t exactly put up the point totals, so much as the 6″4″ 211 pounder is accountable in his zone.

The Orange, CA 17-year is 2024 draft eligible.

He’s not exactly doing terribly with point production, but that +51 rating must have gotten him the look he needed to be selected in the 2nd round by the new Utah Hockey Club in the 2024 NHL draft (#65 overall).

01Aug

Shayne Gostisbehere (41)

Posted in College Hockey Player, Free Agent Signing, NHL Draft Pick | Leave a comment

8th year defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere(41) leaves Philadelphia Flyers‘ nest for a 1st time, after 381 NHL games, scoring 60 goals and 159 assists.

The generously listed at 5’11” 180 lbs. blue liner was traded to Arizona Coyotes, as he still has two years left on his 6-year deal signed in 2017.

He has been always known to put up a lot of assists, culminating in his 4th season, where he had 52 helpers.

The 28-year old’s offense has ticked down in the last couple campaigns, but on this new team that has legs, we could see it move back up.

After a couple of trying years in the desert, the former 3-year Union College Bobcats gets himself a trade to a Stanley Cup contender for 2023, Carolina Hurricanes.

We are maybe a little surprised the unrestricted free agent didn’t sign to stay on, but jumps for a little more money than his last deal on a 1-year term for $4.125M with the constantly rebuilding Detroit Red Wings.

Well, looks like he heads back to Carolina on a 3-year, $3.2M AAV deal after posting a 2nd highest assist total at 46 last season.